1. Field of the Disclosure
The present invention relates to a microwave antenna. Further, the present invention relates to an antenna array, in particular for use in such a microwave antenna, and to a antenna element, in particular for use in such a antenna array.
2. Description of Related Art
In millimeter wave imaging systems a scene is scanned in order to obtain an image of the scene. In many imaging systems the antenna is mechanically moved to scan over the scene. However, electronic scanning, i.e. electronically moving the radiation beam or the sensitivity profile of the antenna, is preferred as it is more rapid and no deterioration of the antenna occurs like in a mechanic scanning system.
In modern radar imaging two-dimensional (2D) MIMO beamforming topologies are used, which synthesize equidistantly spaced virtual two-way aperture distributions. Actually, the virtual aperture distribution is a two-dimensional convolution of the phase centers of the transmit (TX) and receive (RX) antenna phase centers. Most of the practically relevant array structures comprise 2D TX or RX antenna blocks. The present invention relates not only to such 2D MIMO beamforming antennas, but generally to any 2D antennas having a (sparse or non-sparse) array of antenna elements.
The “background” description provided herein is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Work of the presently named inventor(s), to the extent it is described in this background section, as well as aspects of the description which may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly or impliedly admitted as prior art against the present invention.